This book presents a clear, concise, and engaging discussion of critical multicultural and environmental justice education (CMEJE), elucidating what it is; why it is urgent for teaching professionals who work in urban and rural high-need contexts; and how to implement it.

Written for teachers and environmental educators working in a range of settings, this book unpacks CMEJE by describing its foundation in three movements (multiculturalism, environmentalism, and environmental justice) that heretofore have not been combined in discourses about high-quality education. It details various ways in which cultural and environmental phenomena define and shape teaching and learning. Critical concepts such as geography of opportunity, sustainability, and space/place identity are deftly integrated into discussions that explain how belonging, relevance, and responsiveness are central to academic success. At its heart, this book serves as an urgent reminder that educators must acknowledge and respond to the cultural and environmental realities that shape where and how young people live, learn, and grow.

Timely and discursive, this is an essential read for scholars and researchers with interests in multicultural education, environmental education, urban education, social justice, environmental justice, and diversity in education.

Patricia L. Marshall is Professor in the Department of Teacher Education and Learning Sciences at NC State University, USA.